The End of Summer...Your BEST Summer Dish?

Well, now that kids have started back to school, we can officially call this the 'end of summer'.

What dish/recipe did you make this summer that was a real stand-out? (I feel like a teacher asking you to write about your summer vacation...)

I'll start...(now I feel like a group therapy leader). Summer is not my most creative time (small children=FWFs brain leaks out). As many know, I am an avid tomato gardener (endless tomato posts on NAF board), so most of my spare time is spent mainly with this endeavor. Nevertheless, I did try a few new recipes this summer, Lime-Basil Sorbet being my favorite of the summer (photo below).http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e10...

I made some bay scallop-corn cakes a few weeks ago that I thought were pretty fantastic. perfect balance of sweet and briny, and although it required standing over a couple of pans of hot oil to fry them, it was worth it. Served it with a lemon cucumber-plum salsa. I didn't take very good notes, but here is the recipe (I hope my estimated measurements are correct)

mix all ingredients together, put in the fridge for 2-6 hours.when ready to cook, make small spoonfuls and drop into a dish of panko. roll until well covered, flattening into little cakes, and fry in vegetable oil, about 6-7 minutes per side. transfer to a pan in a warm oven until ready to serve.Serve with some more raw cut corn and sour cream, strained yogurt, fresh herbs, or salsa.

My two favorites from this summer were Green Mango Salad (very much like Thai papaya salad) and Mast-O Khiar (from the New Food of Life cookbook), plus Vin de Pamplemousse (from the Chez Panisse Fruit cookbook):

Cover the raisins in water to plump for about 30 minutes. Drain. In a large bowl, combine the raisins, cucumber, yogurt, green onion, walnuts, dill, mint and garlic. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with more green onion, walnuts, mint and rose petals (if using).

The peach tart is Maria Helm Sinskey's recipe and is incredibly simple to make and you don't have to peel the peaches! Line a large tart pan with pate brisee; chill. Cut peaches in halves, then slice each half thinly, but keep slices together to preserve the shape of the peach half. Place peach halves in tart shell skin side up. Gently press on halves to fan out slices. Sprinkle generously with sugar and dot with a bit of butter. Bake at 400 degrees on bottom oven rack for 1 hour, then on top oven rack for 25 minutes until peaches are juicy and caramelized. (You will want to put the tart pan on a baking sheet to catch drips.) She recommends serving it with caramel ice cream (her recipe is great, but I didn't have time to make it yesterday).